Film-handling apparatus and film reader projector



Sept-13, 1949. R, s HQPKlNs 2,481,668

FILM-HANDLING APPARATUS AND FILM READER PROJECTOR Filed July 2, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 13, 1949- R. s. HOPKINS 2,481,668

FILM-HANDLING `APPARATUS AND FILM READER PROJECTOR Filed July 2, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY l @f7/ ATTORNE Patented Sept. 13, 1949 FILM-HANDLING APPARATUS AND FILM READER PROJECTOR Roy S. Hopkins, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a. corporation of New Jersey Application July 2, 1946, Serial No. 680,990

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to a film-handling apparatus and more particularly to an arrangement for maintaining the projected image of a lm strip in focus at all times on the screen of a film reader such as shown in my U. S. Patent l 2,279,463, granted April 14, 1942.

ing means, and the film is then free to be wound from the supply to the take-up reel. During the movement of the film strip, the moving image appearing on the screen is blurred and out of focus due to the film strip being displaced from the focal plane of the objective by the separation of the glass flats. It is desirable, therefore, to provide a means whereby the projected image is always in focus, regardless of the position of the film strip.

The primary object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a film-handling apparatus in which the objective member is displaced in accordance with the displacement of the lm strip so that the projected image of the lm strip is always in focus on the viewing screen.

Another object of the invention is to provide a film-handling apparatus in which the objective member is displaced by the movable gate-operating member in accordance with the displacement of the lm strip so that the projected image of the lm strip is always in focus on th viewing screen.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a lmhandling apparatus in which the objective member assumes one position when the lm strip is stationary and a second position when the film strip is being wound from the supply to the take-up reel for providing an image of the lm strip which will always be in focus.

And yet another object of the invention is to provide a film-handling apparatus in which the objective member assumes two positions in accordance with the position of the lm strip and has means provided for focusing of the objective member in either of said positions.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description.

The above objects of the invention are embodied in a film-handling apparatus, such as a film reader, comprising a casing including a wall, a mirror mounted in the casing, a screen on the front wall of the casing, a rotatable head on the wall for supporting a lm strip and including spindles and driving means for said spindles. The objective member is slidably mounted in the wall for movement along its optical axis and for projecting an image of the film strip onto the screen; the film strip being held between a stationary and a movable gate member on the head with an operating means connected thereto and actuated by the driving `'means for opening the movable gate member and displacing the objective for maintaining 4the image of the film strip on said screen in focus. v

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designatesimilar parts and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the top only of a lmhandling apparatus embodying the present invenion;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section through the top of the film-handling apparatus taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing the lm in its clamped position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the film-handling apparatus;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the rockable cradle showing theendless drive member connected to its supporting shaft;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the rockable cradle of the gate-opening means and the supporting means for the objective member;

Fig. 6 is a partial section similar to Fig. 2 showing the movable gate member in its open position and the objective member in its displaced position with the lm free for winding from the supply to the take-up reel;

Fig. 7 is an end view of the cradle showing the connections to the movable gate member; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary rear View of the 111msupporting head with the cover plate removed and showing the connections to the spindles on the l head.

Although the present disclosure relates to a film reader or projector, it shall be understood that this invention may also be applied to any type of film-handling apparatus. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the film-handling ap-. paratus comprises a casing II and a rotatable film-supporting head I2; the casing II comprising a base I3, side walls III and I5, a rear wall I6 part of which is swingably mounted on the hinge I1 (see Fig. 3), and a front wall I8 which is provided with an opening for a translucent screen I9. A top wall or plate 20 is riveted, or secured in some similar manner, to the casing I I'and has mounted thereon an objective member 2|.

A mirror 22 is mounted on a plate 23 which is hinged to the base I3 and functions to reflect the image received from the objective member 2| onto the screen I9. A light-baffling frame may be mounted inside the casing I| adjacent the front Wall I8 so that when the plate 23 is swung against the frame, the interior of the casing is shielded against any light entering through the screen I9. With this arrangement, the projecting apparatus may be used as a projection enlarger, as is more fully disclosed in my above-mentioned patent.

A curved bracket 24 is fastened to the wall 20 and supports a lamphouse 25 (see Fig. 3), which contains the usual light source and condensers, not shown, for directing a beam of light downwardly into the objective member 2|.

The film-supporting head I2 comprises a circular cap-like frame 26 provided with an internal cavity 21 and an internal annular V-shaped groove 28. The frame 26 has a circular flange 29 which is provided with notches 30 located in quadrature and with an annular recess 3| adjacent said circular ange 29.

A winding means housing 32 is mounted on frame 26 and includes a ledge 33 on which a stationary gate member or glass flat 34 is mounted by a pair of clips 35. A cylindrical sleeve 36 is fastened within the cavity 21 of frame 26 and forms a guideway for the movable gate member which is composed of a cylindrical barrel 31 axially slidable within sleeve 36 and carrying a glass flat 38 fastened to one end of barrel 31 by the threaded ring 39.

'I'he spindles 40 and 4I are rotatably mounted in respective ends of the housing 32, being preferably journalled within bearing-s formed integrally with the housing 32. Film holders or reels 43 and 44 may be positioned respectively on the spindles 48 and 4I, and the intervening film strip F passes between the glass flats 34 and 38 forming the stationary and movable gate members. A guide roller 45 is rotatably mounted in frame 26 between spindle 40 and the ilm gate, and a second guide roller 46 is rotatably mounted in frame 26 between the lm gate and the spindle 4I. The guide rollers 45 and 46 may be centrally recessed for guiding a narrow width of illm, such as 16-mm. film, through the lm gate.

Since the objective member 2| is mounted on the wall and since the film gate on glass flats 34 and 38 are mounted on the head I2, it is extremely important that the mounting means for rotatably supporting the head I 2 shall accurately support the head I2 so that the stationary glass flat 34 or guiding surface thereof will place the supported film strip F in the focal plane of the objective member 2|. To this end the lm head I2 is provided with the internal annular groove 28 which has a contour complementary in shape to the perpheries of a plurality of rollers 41 mounted on the wall 20. It will be noted that the rollers 41 and groove 28 are arranged, respectively, on wall 20 and in cap-like frame 26 so that the head I2 is rotatable concentrically of objective member 2| or so that the axis of rotation of head I2 coincides with the optical axis of the objective member 2| A more detailed description of the arrangement for mounting the head I2 may be had by reference to the abovementioned patent.

The film winding means comprises one or more driving elements on the rotatable head I2. The winding means in the casing I I' comprises a winding member 50 carrying a handle 5| shown in the folded position in Fig. 3, and is mounted externally of casing II on one end of shaft 52 which is journalled in the side wall I5. A sprocket 53 is mounted on the inner end of shaft 52 within casing and engages a chain 54 encircling a sprocket 55 on a shaft 56 also journalled in the wall I5. A larger sprocket 51 is also mounted on shaft 56 and 'is encircled by an endless drive member or chain 58.

A bracket 59 is fastened to the underside of the wall 28 and includes-bearing lugs 68 and a sleeve 6I. A shaft 62 is rotatably supported in bearing lugs 60 and carries on one end a sprocket 63 and on the other end a mitre gear 64. A stub shaft 65 is journalled in the sleeve 6I of bracket 59 and carries on its lower end a mitre gear 66 in mesh with the gear 64 and on its upper end a pinion gear 61.

'I'he gate opening means comprises a cradle 68 having an end plate 69 and an end plate 10. The end plate 69 is provided with an aperture for rotatably encircling the hub of the mitre gear 64, while the end plate 18 encircles a bushing 1I which is freely rotatable on the shaft 62. A pair of idler supports are mounted on the end of cradle 68 on opposite sides of the shaft 62 and maintain the endless drive member 58 in engagement with sprocket 63 without permitting appreciable slack in the endless drive member or chain 58. Such idler supports comprise grooved rollers 12 and 13, roller 12 being freely rotatable on a pin 14 extending from end plate 10 of cradle 68 and roller 13 being freely rotatable on a pin 15 extending from end plate 'I0 but on the opposite side of shaft 62 from the pin 14. A guard plate 16 (see Fig. 4) is mounted on cradle 68 and has an arcuate portion adjacent the periphery o1.'

sprocket 63 to -hold the chain 58 thereon. 'I'hus it will be seen that upon rotation of the winding member 50 by crank handle 5I` the shaft 52, chain 54, and sprocket 55 will be rotated. In turn, large sprocket 51, chain 58, sprocket 63, shaft 62, mitre gear 64, mitre gear 66, shaft 65, and gear 61 will also be rotated. These elements constitute the elements of the winding means on the casing II of the apparatus.

The winding means elements on the film-supporting head comprise a rotatable ring member, a clutch member, and drivingconnections from the clutch members to the spindles 40 and 4I. The ring member (see Fig. 2) is rotatably mounted on the cylindrical sleeve 36 of the frame 26 by means' of the ball bearing mounting 8|. The ring member 60 is provided with a toothed periphery 82 for meshing with the pinion 61 and with a crown gear portion 83 for meshing with the pinion 84 forming a part of the clutch assembly.

As disclosed in my above-mentioned patent, a clutch assembly designated broadly by the numeral 85, is provided between the pinion 84 and two sprockets 86 (see Fig. 8) for selectively driving either spindle 48 or 4I, depending on the direction of rotation of the winding member 5l. The endless chains 81 and 88 connect the sprockets 86 with the sprockets on the spindles 40 and 4I.

The operation of the complete winding means including the elements on the casing and on the head will now be described. When the winding member 50 is rotated by the handle 5I in a lclockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, the sprocket 53, the chain 54, and the sprockets 55 and 56 are also rotated in a clockwise direction. At the same time, the endless drive member 58 is movedin the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig.' 3, so that sprocket 63, shaft 62, and mitre gear 64 are rotated in a counter-clockwise vdirection, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. Thus the mitre gear 66, shaft 65, and pinion 51 are rotated in a clockwise direction. as viewed from Fig. 5, and by virtue of the meshing of pinion 61 with the toothed periphery 82 of= the ring member 90, the ring member 80 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed from the top of the apparatus. The movement of the ring member 80 is trans-y mitted through the crown gear 83 and the pinion 84 to the clutch assembly l-`95 so that the chain 89 drives the sprocket lconnected to the spindle 4|. thereby permitting the spindle 40 to turn freely. As a result, upon such clockwise movement of the winding member 50, the iilm F will be moved to the left in Fig. 2 and will be wound upon the nlm reel 44 on spindle 4 I. Conversely, when the winding member 50 is rotated in the opposite direction, all of the winding elements are moved in the opposite direction, and the clutch assembly 85 then changes the drive to the spindle 40 and permits the reel 4I to turn freely. The film' will then be moved to the right in Fig. 2 and will be wound upon the film reel 43 on the spindle 40.

The rockabie cradle 68 of the operating or gateopening means carries a pair of abutments for limiting the angular movement of said cradle. Such abutments may be conveniently provided as screws 89 threaded into the cradle 68 and locked in their adjusted position by lock nuts 90. The upperends of the screws 89 are adjusted to strike the bracket 59 when the cradle has been rocked to its limit in either direction. Such rocking of the cradle 58 is utilized to open or separate the glass flats 34 and 38 and to displace the objective member 2| in a manner about to be disclosed. v

For this purpose intermediate means may be provided between the cradle 68 and the movable gate member 38. Slotted discs 9| and 92 are fastened to the end plate 69 of cradle 68. Levers 93 and 94 are pivotally mounted from lugs on top wall 20, have upright arms 95 and 96, and lie, respectively, in the slots of discs 9| and 92. A fork member 91 has ears 98 and is pivotally mounted over top Wall 20 by means of a spindle 99 which passes through said ears 98 and lugs |00 extending from the sleeve 6| of bracket 59. Coil springs encircle each end of the spindle 99, each having one end engaged under the lugs |00 and each having one end bearing upon the circular portion |02 of fork member 91 (see Figs. 5 and '1). The other side of fork member 91 includes arms |03 which extend around each side of the objective member 2| and which engage the lower edge of the barrel 31. The action of coil springs |0| normally moves said fork member 91 so that the arms |03 raise the barrel 31 and resiliently press the glass nat 38 against the glass flat 34 or against the film strip F therebetween.

The supporting means for the objective member 2| comprises a lever |05 which is pivotally mounted by means of the spindle |06 to the bracket |01 which is secured to the top wall 20. The lever is provided on one end with two extending ears.

|08 which carry pins |09 for engaging the objective member 2 The sleeve ||0 which is secured to the top wall 29 and in which the objective member 2| is slidably mounted is provided with slots to permit the pins |09 to be inserted in the objective member 2|. The ears |08 are also provided with extensions ||2, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter. The other end of the lever |05 is provided with an elongated slot ||9 through which the threaded stem ||4 of the focusing knob |'|5 extends. The stem ||4 has fixed thereto a cap llt-which maintains the lever |05 in the position shown in Fis. 2. A coil spring 5 ||1 surrounds the spindle |06 and serves to hold the lever |05 in the position shown in Fig. 2 in which the objective member 2| is in the position for forming an image of the stationary iilm strip l' upon the screen I9.

The actuating means on the gate opening means comprises vertical extending portions on the ears 98 of the fork member 91 which engage the extensions I'I2 on the ears |09 of the lever |95.

When the winding means elements on the oasing are operated, the endless drive member or chain passing over the grooved rollers 12 and 13 on the cradle 68 causes said cradle 89 to rock in a direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the winding means elements. For instance, rotation of the winding member 59 causes movement of the chain 58 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, and tension in the righthand strand of chain 58 will act downwardly on the ground roller 12 to cause said cradle 69 to rock in a clockwise direction with respect to Figs. 3 and 4. Such rocking of the cradle 99 raises the slotted disc 92 and moves the lever 94 so that the upright arm 96 thereof engages the circular portion |02 of the fork member 91 to raise the same against the action of the coil spring |0|. This raising of the circular portion |02 of the fork member 91 lowers the fork arms |03 and permits the cylindrical barrel 31 and the glass at 39 to fall away from' the stationary glass fiat 34 and the film F therebetween. Accordingly, the glass flats -34 and 38 are automatically separated so that the film may be moved therebetween.

As the fork member 91 is moved to open or separate the glass iiats 34 and 38 by the move-l ment or rocking of the cradle 68, the vertical extending portions |20 which are in contact with the extensions ||2 cause the lever |05 to be rotated about its spindle |06 against the action of the spring ||1, thereby lowering the objective member 2| to the position shown in Fig. 6. As

long as the film is being wound, the tension remains on the chain 58 to hold the fork member 91, the lever |05, and the objective member 2| in the positions shown in Fig. 6. When the proper film frame has been brought into position, the winding means elements are brought to a stop, the tension on the chain 58 is released, the springs |0| return the fork member 91, and hence the glass flat 38, to the filmengaging position, and the spring ||1 returns the objective member 2| to its first position. It will be noted from Figs. 2 and 6 that the film strip F assumes different positions with respect to the glass i'lat 34 when it is stationary and when it is moving go or being wound onto one of the reels. By displacing the objective member 2| in the manner described, the image of the iilm strip on the screen is always in focus, whether the film strip is stationary or in motion. The objective memes ber 2|, therefore, assumes two positions, the iirst position when the film strip is stationary. and a second position when the nlm is in motion or being wound onto one of the reels.

The objective member 2| is maintained in the 10 first position by the coil spring ||1 which holds the lever |05 against the cap III of the focusing? knob ||5. The image of the iilm strip F on the screen- I9 .can be focused when the objective member 2| is in its rst position by turning the knob ||5 which pivots the lever |05 about the 'H'L In the second position, the objective member is focused by adjusting the screw |2I when the objective member is in its second position. the screw I2I being threaded into the lever 1'05 and being locked in the adjusted position by the nut |22.' The screw I2I, by abutting the plate 20 when the lever |05 is actuated by the fork member 91, locates the objective member 2| in its proper position with respect to the plane of the nlm. With this arrangement for each position of the objective member 2|, the image is certain of being in focus.

Other advantages of the nlm-handling apparatus disclosed herein will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and modifications of the various elements disclosed to obtain the same advantages will also be apparent. Therefore, the present disclosure is to be construed only in an illustrative sense, and the scope of the invention is defined in the claims which follow.

.Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a nlm-handling apparatus, the combination with a nlm-supporting means including two separable nlm-engaging members for engaging and positioning a nlm strip in a plane determined by one of said nlm-engaging members, a

' nlm-advancing means for moving said nlm strip in a plane parallel to and displaced from said nrst-mentioned plane and between said separated nlm-engaging members, and an objective member having a focal plane and an optical axis and for projecting an image of said nlm strip, of an objective mounting means for supporting said objective member in a position in which the focal plane thereof coincides with said nrst-mentioned nlm plane and for movement along said axis to a second position in which the focal plane thereof coincides with said second-mentioned nlm plane, and an operating means responsive to said nlm-advancing means for simultaneously actuating said nlm-engaging members and moving said objective mounting means so that the focal plane of said objective member moves from said nrst-mentioned nlm plane into coincidence with the displaced plane of said nlm strip.

i 2. In a nlm-handling apparatus, the combination with a nlm-supporting means including two separable nlm-engaging members for engaging and positioning a nlm strip in a plane determined by one of said nlm-engaging members, a nlmadvancing means for moving said nlm strip in a plane parallel to and displaced from said nrstmentioned plane and between said separated nlm-engaging members, and an objective member having a focal plane and an optical axis and for projecting an image of said nlm strip, of an objective mounting means for supporting said objective member in a position'in which the focal plane thereof coincides with said nrst-mentioned nlm plane and for movement along said axis to a second position in which the focal plane thereof coincides with said second-mentioned nlm plane, an operating means responsive to said nlm-advancing means for simultaneously actuating said nlm-engaging members and moving said objective mounting means from said nrst position to said second position so that the focal plane of said objective member remains in coincidence with the plane of said nlm strip, and means for focusing said objective member in either of said positions.

3. In a nlm-handling apparatus. the combination with a casing including a wall, a screen on said casing, a head on said wall including two separable nlm-engaging members for vengaging and positioning a nlm strip in a predetermined plane, a nlm-advancing means for moving said nlm strip in a plane displaced from said nrstmentioned plane, an endless drive" member on said casing and operatively connected to said nlm-advancing'means, a winding member on said casing for moving said endless drive member,

' and an objective member having a focal plane and an optical axis and for projecting an image of said nlm strip onto said screen, of an objective mounting means for supporting said objective member with said focal plane in said predetermined plane and for movement along said axis,

and an operating means operatively connected to said nlm advancing means land said objective mounting means and including a rockable cradle adapted to be rockedl by the movement of said endless drive member for simultaneously actuating said nlm-engaging members and 4moving said objective mounting means along said axis upon movement of said nlm strip so that the focal plane of said objective member coincides with the plane of said nlm strip.

4. In a nlm-handling apparatus, the combination with a casing including a. wall, a screen on said casing, a head on said wall including two separable nlm-engaging members for engaging and positioning a film strip in a predetermined plane, a nlm advancing means on said head including spindles and driven members connected thereto for moving said nlm strip in a plane parallel to and displaced from said nrst-mentioned plane, an endless drive member on said casing and operatively connected to said driven members, a winding member on said casing for moving said endless drive member, and an objective member having a focal plane and an optical axis and for projecting an image of said nlm strip onto said screen, of an objective mounting means for supporting said objective member with said focal plane in said predetermined plane and for movement along said axis, an operating means operatively connected to said nlm advancing means and said objective mounting means and actuated by the movement of said endless drive member for simultaneously actuating said nlmengaging members and moving said objective mountingmeans along said axis so that the focal plane of said objective member coincides with the plane of said nlm strip, and a .focusing means mounted on said wall and operatively connected with said operating means for focusing said objective member in either position.

5. In a nlm-handling apparatus, the combination with a casing including a wall, a screen on said casing, a rotatable head on said wall for supporting a nlm strip thereon and including two separable nlm-engaging members for engaging and positioning said nlm strip in a plane determined by one of said nlm-engaging members, a

nlm-advancing means on said head including spindles and driven members connected thereto for moving said nlm strip in a plane displaced from said nrst-mentioned plane, and an objective member having a focal plane and an optical axis and for projecting an image of said nlm strip onto said screen, of an objective mounting means for supporting said objective member in a position in which the focal plane thereofcoincides with said first-mentioned nlm plane and for movement along said axis to a second position in which 4simultaneously actuating said nlm-engaging members and moving said objective mountin'g means to said second position so that the focal plane of said objective member coincides with the plane of said nlm strip.

6. In a nlm-handling apparatus, the combina- Ation with a casing including a wall, a screen on said casing, a rotatable Yhead on said wall for supporting a nlm strip thereon and including two separable nlm-engaging members for engaging and positioning said nlm strip in aplane determined by one ofv s ai'd nlm-engaging members, a nlm-advancingN means on said head including spindles and driven members connected thereto for moving said nlm strip in a plane displaced from said nrst-mentioned plane, and an objective member having a focal plane and an optical axis and for projecting an image of said nlm strip onto said screen, of an objective mounting means for supporting said objective member in a position in which the focal plane thereof coincides with said first-mentioned nlm plane and for movement along said axis to a second position in which the focal plane thereof coincides with said second-mentioned nlm plane, an operating means operatively connected to said nlm advancing means and said objective mounting means and responsive to said nlm-advancing means for simultaneously actuating said nlmengaging members and moving said objective mounting means along said axis so that the focal plane of said objective member is maintained in the plane of said nlm strip during movement thereof, and a focusing means mounted on said wail and operatively connected with said operating means for focusing said objective member in either position.

'1. In a. nlm-handling apparatus, the combination with a casing including a wall, a mirror mounted in said casing, a screen for receiving an image directed thereto by said mirror, a rotatable head on said wall for supporting a film strip thereon and including a gate member comprising two separable nlm-engaging members for engaging and positioning said nlm strip in a predetermined plane, a nlm-advancing means on said head including spindles and driven members connected thereto for moving said film strip in a plane displaced from said nrst-mentioned plane, an endless drive member on said casing and operatively connected to said driven members, a winding member on said casing for moving said endless drive member, and an objective member having a focal plane and an optical axis and for projecting an image of said nlm strip onto said screen, of an objective mounting means for supporting said objective member for movement along said axis from a position in which the focal plane thereof coincides with said nrst-mentioned plane to a position in which the focal plane thereof coincides with said second-mentioned plane, and a nlm gate actuating means including a rockable cradle adapted to be rocked by the movement of said endless drive member and means operatively connected to said nlm-gate actuating means and to said objective mounting means for simultaneously actuating said gate member and moving said objective mounting means so that the focal plane of said objective member incides with the plane of said nlm strip` 8. In a nlm-handling apparatus, the combination with a casing including a wall, a mirror in said casing, a screen on said casing for receiving an image directed thereto by said mirror, a rotatable head on said wall for supporting a 4film strip thereon and including a stationary gate member and a movable gate member for engaging and positioning said nlm strip in a plane determined by said stationary gate member, a nlm-advancing means on said head including spindles and driven members connected thereto for moving said nlm strip in a plane parallel to and displaced from said nrst-mentioned plane, an endless drive member on said casing and operatively connected to said driven members, a winding means on said casing for moving said endless drive member, and an objective member having a focal plane and an optical axis and for projecting an image of said nlm strip onto said screen, of an objective mounting means for supporting said objective member for movement along said axis from a position in which the focal plane thereof coincides with said nrst-mentioned plane to a second position in which the focal plane thereof coincides with said second-mentioned plane, a gate-actuatl ing means including a rockable cradle adapted to be rocked by the movement of said endless drive member and means operatively connected to said nlm-gate actuating means and to said objective mounting means for simultaneously actuating said movable gate member and moving said objective mounting means so that the focal plane of said objective member coincides with the plane of said nlm strip. l

9. In a nlm-handling apparatus, the combination with a casing including a wall, a mirror in said casing, a screen on said casing for receiving an image directed thereto by said mirror, a rotatable head on said wall for supporting a. film strip thereon and including a stationary gate member and a movable gate member for engaging and positioning said nlm strip in a plane determined by said stationary gate member, a nlmadvancing means on said head including spindles and driven members connected thereto for moving said nlm strip in a plane parallel to and displaced from said first-mentioned plane, an endless drive member on said casing and operatively connected to said driven members, a winding means on said casing for moving said endless drive member, and an objective member having a focal plane and an optical axis and for projecting an image of said nlm strip onto said screen, of an objective mounting means for supporting said objective member for movement along said axis from a position in which the focal plane thereof coincides with said nrst-mentioned plane to a second position in which the focal plane thereof coincides with said second-mentioned plane, a gate-actuating means including a rockable cradle adapted to be rocked by the movement of said endless drive member and means operatively connected to said nlm-gate actuating means and to said objective mounting means for simultaneously actuating said movable gate member and moving said objective mounting means so that the focal plane of said objective member coincides with the plane of said nlm strip, and means associated with said gate-actuating means for focusing said objective member.

` l0. In a nlm-handling apparatus, the combination with a casing including a wall, a mirror in said casing, a screen on said casing for receiving an image directed thereto by said mirror, a rotatable head on said wall for supporting a nlm nlm-advancing means on said head including spindles and driven members connected thereto for moving 'said film strip in a plane parallel to and displaced from said first-mentioned plane and between said separated stationary and movsaid casing and operatively connected to said driven members, a winding means on said casing for moving said endless drive member, and an objective member having a focal plane and an optical axis and for projecting an image of said nlm strip onto said screen, of an objective mounting means for supporting said objective member for movement along said axis from a position in which the focal plane thereof coincides with said first-mentioned plane to a second position in which the focal plane thereof coincides with said second-mentioned plane, a support means pivotally mounted on said wall for supporting said objective mounting means, a gate-actuating means including a rockable cradle adapted to be rocked by the movement of said endless drive member and an actuating member adapted to engage said support means for simultaneously actuating said movable gate member and said objective mounting means so that the focal plane of said objective member coincides with the plane of said film strip.

11. In a film-handling apparatus, the combination with a casing including a wall, a -mirror in said casing, a screen on said casing for receiving an image directed thereto by said mirror, a rotatable head on said wall for supporting a lm strip thereon and including a stationary gate member and a movable gate member for engaging and positioning said film strip in a plane determined by said stationary gate member, a film? advancing means on said head including spindles and driven members connected thereto for moving said lm strip in a plane parallel to and disable gate members, an endless drive member .on"l0 placed from said rst-mentioned plane and between said separated stationary and movable gate members, an endless drive member on said casing and operatively connected to said driven members, a winding means on said casing for moving said endless drive member, and an objective member having a focal plane and an optical axis and for projecting an image of said film strip onto said screen, of an objective mounting means for supporting said objective member for movement along said axis from a position in which the focal plane thereof coincides with said first-mentioned plane to a second position in which the focal plane thereof coincides with said secondmentioned plane, a support means pivotally mounted on said wall for supporting said objective mounting means, a gate actuating means including a rockable cradle adapted to be rocked by the movement of said endless drive member Number and an actuating member adapted to engage said support means for actuating said movable gate member simultaneously with the actuation of said objective mounting means so that the focal'plane of said objective member coincides with the plane of said film strip, a focusing means mounted on said wall and associated. with said support means for focusing said objective member in said first position, and a secondv focusing means on said support for focusing said objective in said second position.

' ROY S. HOPKINS.

v REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date' 1,889,575 Sebille Nov. 29, 1932 2,110,484 Hopkins Mar. 8, 1938 2,279,463 Hopkins Apr. 14, 1942 2,304,921 Hopkins Dec. 15, 1942 2,346,074 Hopkins Apr. 4, 1944 2,377,476 Berglund June 5, 1945 

